Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, University of Arkansas
Job Title: Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology
Department/School: Department of Anthropology
Location: Fayetteville, AR
Start date: August 16, 2027
The Department of Anthropology in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology to start in August 2027. This is a standard nine-month faculty appointment.
We seek applicants with broad training in cultural anthropology who specialize in the Middle East and whose theoretical and geographic expertise complements and expands current department strengths. Preferred areas of scholarship include, but are not limited to, medical anthropology, new media technologies/popular culture, or political economy. The successful candidate will develop courses that will expand our undergraduate and graduate curricula and should be prepared to teach an upper-level undergraduate lecture course in History of Anthropological Thought as well as two courses focused on the Middle East per academic year. We especially welcome applications from candidates who are committed to building ties with programs and units across the College and the University, such as The King Fahd Center for Middle East Studies, the Arkansas Humanities Center, the Medical Humanities minor, or other interdisciplinary programs.
Candidates must have completed their Ph.D. in anthropology by May 31, 2027 (Spring 2027) and are expected to have an active research program focused on the Middle East. Previous teaching experience as instructor-of-record at the college level is preferred.
This is an in-person position. Most university classes are offered face-to-face, and extensive in-person engagement in such activities as office hours, student advising, and departmental, college, and university committee meetings is essential to advancing student success and departmental effectiveness.
Regular, reliable, and non-disruptive attendance is an essential job duty, as is the ability to create and maintain collegial, harmonious working relationships with others.
About the Department:
The Department of Anthropology at the University of Arkansas currently has 14 tenured or tenure track faculty, spanning the subdisciplines of cultural anthropology, archaeology, and biological anthropology. For more information see the Department webpage: https://anthropology.uark.edu/.
Duties will include:
• 40% Teaching or Professional Performance
• 40% Research/Scholarly and/or Creative Activities
• 20% Academic Service Activities
Minimum Qualifications:
• PhD in anthropology from an accredited institution of higher education conferred by May 31, 2027 (Spring semester 2027).
• An active research program focused on cultural anthropology of the Middle East, with the potential to involve undergraduate and graduate students.
• Areas of theoretical and geographic expertise that complement and expand existing faculty strengths.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Strong record of successful publication and external funding in the candidate’s theoretical and/or geographic areas of expertise.
• Theoretical focus on, but not limited to, medical anthropology, new media technologies/popular culture, or political economy.
• Teaching experience as instructor-of-record at the college level in cultural anthropology or a related field
• A demonstrated ability to develop innovative undergraduate and graduate classes that complement and expand the current offerings in cultural anthropology.
• Strong evidence of the ability to be an active, involved, and collegial member of a collaborative faculty team both on campus and in relevant national service organizations.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Completed applications received by October 30, 2026, will be assured full consideration. Late applications will be reviewed as necessary to fill the position.
For additional inquiries, please contact the search committee chair, Kirstin Erickson, at [email protected].
For a complete position announcement and information regarding how to apply, visit: https://uasys.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/UAF_External_Career_Site/details/Assistant-Professor-of-Cultural-Anthropology_R0091579?q=R0091579
• To apply, please submit:
• A curriculum vitae,
• A cover letter/letter of application that specifies your teaching, research, and service accomplishments/interests
• An article/chapter-length writing sample (published or publishable quality)
• A list of three professional references (name, title, email address, and phone number) willing to provide letters of recommendation if requested during the application process. Letters of recommendation will be requested only for candidates selected for individual interviews.
• Additional materials may be requested at a later date.
Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.
Annual Salary/Benefits Package: Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications.
As an employer, the University of Arkansas offers a vibrant work environment and a workplace culture that promotes a healthy work-life balance. The benefits package includes university contributions to health, dental, life and disability insurance, tuition waivers for employees and their families, 12 official holidays, immediate leave accrual, and a choice of retirement programs with university contributions ranging from 5 to 10% of employee salary.
EMPLOYER INFORMATION
The University of Arkansas: Founded in 1871 as a land grant institution, the University of Arkansas is classified by the Carnegie Foundation among the top two percent of universities in the nation with the highest level of research activity. Ten colleges and schools serve more than 27,100 students with more than 200 academic programs. University of Arkansas students earn nationally competitive awards at an impressive rate and represent 50 states and more than 120 countries. The University of Arkansas is committed to providing an educational and work environment in which thought, creativity, and growth are stimulated, and in which individuals are free to realize their full potential.
The University of Arkansas is an equal opportunity institution. The University does not discriminate in its education programs or activities (including in admission and employment) on the basis of any category or status protected by law, including age, race, color, national origin, disability, religion, protected veteran status, military service, genetic information, sex, sexual preference, or pregnancy. Federal law prohibits the University from discriminating on these bases. Questions or concerns about the application of Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, may be sent to the University's Title IX Coordinator and to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. Persons must have proof of legal authority to work in the United States on the first day of employment. All application information is subject to public disclosure under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.